383 spun main?

[RebelRider]

Strange things......i reinstalled the distributor and fired it up. Zero squealing......until it warms. It then starts to slowly come back. I did get the shaft out with a little more effort.

 

[Ernie ingling]

Suspect oil slinger installed backwards.

 

[m79ded]

Water Pump perhaps?

 

[RebelRider]

Water Pump perhaps?

There is no belt turning it.

 

[Durandal25]

Has anyone seen my cat?

lol....yes, and no....

 

[RebelRider]

Small update......
Although the bushing seemed ok, it was a little dry. I put some oil on it and reinstalled the distributor. I’ve been through several heat cycles and can’t get the squealing to return. The bushing seemed to be installed correctly so it would oil.

 

[beanhead]

Small update......
Although the bushing seemed ok, it was a little dry. I put some oil on it and reinstalled the distributor. I’ve been through several heat cycles and can’t get the squealing to return. The bushing seemed to be installed correctly so it would oil.

Well if that turns out to be the permanent fix, awesome! Maybe it was just crapped up a little from sitting..it's nice to find the problem near the top of the "easy stuff" list. Thanks for the follow-up.

 

[hammond472]

I would recommend running a quart of automatic transmission fluid, Sea Foam or Marvel Mystery oil in your crank case to clean up the inside of your motor. Run it 5 minutes at idle and change the oil and filter. Sludge happens!

 

[RebelRider]

Short lived. I have now lost oil pressure all together. Looking at the end of the pump shaft, there is some strange wear. I guess next is pulling the pump to see if the end has any sort of damage.

 

[beanhead]

 

[PRHeads]

No oil pressure now?

Pull that shaft back out and see if the hex is broken off the end.

If it is, something likely got into the oil pump and seized it up.

 

[RebelRider]

No oil pressure now?

Pull that shaft back out and see if the hex is broken off the end.

If it is, something likely got into the oil pump and seized it up.

No pressure at all. I have pulled the shaft out and it is not sheared. There is some odd wear on the outer most parts of the hex.

 

[wyrmrider]

did you pull the pump apart and check it, how did it spin
those hexes on stock shafts are not very hard, could have rounded off

 

[RebelRider]

did you pull the pump apart and check it, how did it spin
those hexes on stock shafts are not very hard, could have rounded off

I’m the process now.

 

[justcruisin]

Can you turn the pump in place with a priming rod, I'd be doing that with a mechanical gauge plumbed in before you pull the pump.

 

[RebelRider]

Can you turn the pump in place with a priming rod, I'd be doing that with a mechanical gauge plumbed in before you pull the pump.

I wasn’t able to source one locally. I did pull the pump, which wasn’t hard to do. There was a little wear, but not enough to drop it to zero pressure. I reinstalled it.......still at zero. I even pull that tap at the back of the engine to verify it wasn’t the gauge. I guess the next thing to do is pull the pan and check the pickup tube. Maybe whatever was raising hell broke loose and stuck to the screen. Hopefully I didn’t cause any damage. The only reason I noticed the pressure drop while I was under the hood is I started to hear some valve train noise.

 

[dryheat]

I had a 383 back in the mid 70's that had a squeal like you describe. Not log after that I lost all oil pressure. I spun rod bearing and the motor changed from squealing to clattering.

 

[TN Mopar]

Pull the valve covers off and look at the valve train
A failure in the rocker arms or pushrods will allow the cam to push a lifter out of its bore and it will drop oil pressure
had this happen to me

 

[hammond472]

Maybe your cam thrust bearing failed and your cam walked or your distributor or oil pump drive shaft are the wrong size.
B and RB distributors have different shaft lengths. Also oil pump drive shafts come in multiple sizes.

 

[WP29440SE]

if you aren't shooting oil out of the pressure sender galley, and all the lifters are in place , I hate to say it but it probably has to come out.